Practicum

Practicum Redesigned for Students Starting Fall 2019

Note: The following information is for a reworked practicum experience for students starting to work on their own practicum during Fall 2019 or later. If you are a current student who already has made significant progress on your practicum then please review the old Practicum documents and keep in touch with Practicum Director Justin Latici at jlatici@mines.edu. If you are just beginning work on your Practicum now or in the future, you will be taking part in the following redesigned version of Practicum.

What is Practicum?

All McBride students need to fulfill a three-credit “Practicum,” which emphasizes experiential education, cultural immersion, and course design. The practicum is similar to an independent study, but with a twist. The goal of the course is for you to pursue a worthwhile experiential learning opportunity – that is, to “learn by doing.”

Essentially, you will be challenged in two key ways: You must first design an experiential educational opportunity worthy of three McBride credits, and then do it. This asks you to think not only about what kind of experience you want to have, but also asks you to consider some of the larger aspects of good course design: what do I want to get out of this experience? What are my learning objectives? How will this experience benefit not just me, but a broader community? You have many options to develop an individualized study program that facilitates your own personal, intellectual, and professional goals. Possibilities include, but are not limited to: studying or interning abroad, engaging in research in science or public affairs, learning through service to your community, working as an intern in a way that interfaces the public, and many other options.